1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to seatback recliner mechanisms for use in a vehicle. More particularly, the present invention discloses a vehicle seatback recliner mechanism, in particular incorporated into a first row of vehicle seats, and in which the seatback is capable of being pivoted to a forward flat folded condition from any previous and forward or rearward reclined position.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Seatback recliner mechanisms are fairly well known in the art, in particular those incorporated into a vehicle seat. One objective of a seatback recliner mechanism, such as may be particularly located in a forward or first row of seats, is to provide ease of ingress and egress to individuals to be seated in a secondary or rearwardly situated row of seats, as well as the ability to fold the seat in a substantially forwardly and flattened arrangement.
One example of a multiple function seatback adjusting mechanism is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 6,139,104, issued to Brewer. The seatback mechanism in Brewer provides for recliner adjustment of the seatback, as well as rotation of the seatback to a forward dump easy entry position and rotation of the seatback to a fold flat position for storage. A single actuating handle is operated to adjust the recline position of the seat and to rotate the seatback to the fold flat position. A second handle is actuated to rotate the seatback to the forward dump position in which the seatback is unlocked. Upon return of the seatback from the dump position, the seatback locks in the previously adjusted recline position. A lock out is provided to prevent release of the recliner when the seatback is in the forward dump position.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,371,558, issued to Couasnon, discloses a fold flat vehicle seat having a movable track member slidably engaging a fixed track member. A seat assembly is mounted thereon for longitudinal sliding movement relative the fixed track member. A track lock is operatively interconnected between the movable and fixed track members and between a locked configuration in which the movable track member is precluded from moving longitudinally relative to the fixed track member and a released configuration in which the movable track member is permitted to move longitudinally relative to the fixed track member.
A seatback latch operatively engages between a seat cushion member and a pivotally associated seatback member. A spring biases the seatback member toward a substantially horizontal load supporting position. A link arm is operatively interconnected between the seatback member and fixed track member and causes rearward longitudinal movement of the seatback member relative to the fixed track member to a predetermined longitudinal position as the seatback member is forwardly folded about the seatback pivot axis from the upright occupiable position to the substantially horizontal load supporting position when the track lock is in the released configuration.
The present invention is a vehicle seatback recliner mechanism, in particular incorporated into a first row of vehicle seats, and in which the seatback is capable of being pivoted to a forward flat folded condition from any previous and forward or rearward reclined position. The present invention also provides a vehicle seatback assembly in which ease of ingress and egress is provided to occupants seated to the rear of the seatback recliner mechanism.
At least one and typically a pair of bottom support plates are provided and which form a part of the seat bottom and which are adapted to being secured to at least one of first and second sides of the seat bottom. A first gear is fixed between the lower supports and at a generally upper end location thereof.
At least one and typically a pair of upper support plates are arranged in spaced apart fashion and are further pivotally secured to the lower support plates. A second rotatable gear is sandwiched between the upper plates and is meshingly engaged with the first gear. Also contained between the upper support plates are a cam and pawl arrangement, the pawl including an extending end exhibiting a plurality of teeth.
An intermediate plate arranged in selectively rotatable fashion with respect to the lower support plates, the intermediate plate being arranged substantially coaxial with respect to the first gear and including a plurality of teeth exhibited along an upper and arcuate extending edge. The pawl is pivotally secured to the upper support and so that the teeth disposed on its extending end are biased in interengaging fashion against those associated with the intermediate plate at selected locations along its arcuate extending edge.
A first lever is secured to a forward-most location of the lower support plates and, upon being actuated, unseats the pawl from the intermediate plate and causes the upper support to pivot over a specified range of forward incline and rearward recline. The intermediate plate further includes an arcuate channel defined therethrough and through which is received a pin fixed to the upper support plates.
The seatback further includes an upper arm pivotally secured to the upper support in coaxial fashion relative to a third rotatable gear meshingly engaged with the second gear. A second lever is connected to the upper support plates and, via a second interconnecting cam, unseats the upper arm from the upper support plates, and so that the arm pivots to a substantially forward and horizontal position.
A plurality of teeth extend along an arcuate exterior surface of the upper arm, proximate its pivotal axis. A catch portion associated with the second cam exhibits additional teeth which interengage a selected subplurality of the teeth extending along the arm, in the forward and horizontal position and further dependent upon a pre-existing incline/recline relationship established between the upper and lower supports. By virtue of the fact that the second and third gears rotate in opposite and synchronous manner, along with the upper support assembly, guarantees that a forward stop pin associated with the upper arm contacts an associated and abutting surface of the third gear in any inclined or reclined position of the upper support assembly and in the forward and horizontally disposed position.
A third cam is secured to the lower support plates in selectively engageable fashion with an underside location of the intermediate plate. A third lever is operatively connected to the third cam and, upon actuating, unseats the third cam from the intermediate plate, causing the intermediate plate and upper support to pivot forwardly in unison and to a predetermined inclined position. A second stop pin extends from a selected one of the lower support plates and defines a forward pivoting stop location of intermediate plate.